some stories from the east side

sorry for being absent lately, but i had been ill with a stomach flu.  we aren't sure what was wrong .. just a very sore stomach.   most people on the island are thinking it is from eating too many mangos.   i am starting to think there might be something to it.  and now  the last few days we have been without internet again and so i am at jeanette's using her wireless.  thanks jeanette!!

i was thankful that on saturday  i woke up feeling better from the flu because i had agreed to take some girls from the clinic out on a tour of the east side.  i love the east side so much.  it is different then the west side that has mainly shopping centres, beaches, resorts etc.   the east side is less populated with people, less resorts and  has more raw beauty, rugged shorelines, and grandoise vistas.

the view always leaves me breathless!

our first stop was  turquoise bay, which is a small little resort with a  pristine beach and a lovely view.   while in the car i had told them about alejandro, the man who had taken us out in his boat for a snorkel tour there.   i was surprised to and delighted to have him greet us because i had heard that he was now at infinity bay.  what  a joy to see him.   the girls went down to the beach and i stayed with alejandro to talk and catch up.  once the girls came back i asked him if he could take us in his boat to the mangroves (might as well pay him as opposed to someone i don't know) but he said he didn't have enough gas in his boat but he wanted to know if we would like to go to his shark and sting ray pen.   i know the girls were on a budget (being students and volunteers) so i asked how much and he laughed and said, for you?  nothing.. you are family!   the girls were thrilled to be able to swim with sharks, turtles and sting rays!!!!   i was happy that i had left the snorkel gear in the car (see.. it pays to not put things away!!! ha)

see the shark on the top, the sting ray at the bottom left and a turtle at the bottom middle

after that we went to jonesville which is a quaint little fishing/shrimping town by the sea.  the houses are on stilts and dot the edge of the bights.   i wasn't sure about getting a boat to take us through the mangroves but i told the girls 'these things always work out' so they went to take pictures of the colorful shrimp boats and wooden shanties.   so i stood there for a second looking for a dorie to take us, and not seeing any near by i meandered over to the nearest house, and hollered.   yes that is what you do here.  i just said,  'morning!'    i asked the gentleman who came to the door if he knew of anyone who could take us out to the mangroves. his first response was 'i don't rightly know'   i told him i lived on the island and wanted to take some volunteers from miss peggy's clinic to see the mangroves.   he then said 'i will see what i can do for you'  i thanked him and then   i waited patiently in the shade while he called various local men.  finally he came out saying that clyde was on his way.

that is clyde coming in his little dorie!

we saw clyde slowly putt putt his way through the sea green water to a small little dock.   i think the girls were a little surprised to see how narrow his dorie was:  about 1 1/2 feet across.   we all managed to get inside without tipping it.  apparently this dug out dories are quite stable.   i have to tell you a funny story about clyde.  i told him i was going to quote him so here goes:

we were just entering the mangroves when he kinda wacked me on the shoulder saying:

so what time you be leavin' this morning?

i said, oh around 9:00 i'd say

well at around 9:10 my left hand she be gettin' real itchy

so i said to my wife that there be some people comin'

my way today.

i just knew it!

so then i took my hand and i scratch me ass because you 

know what they say,

'scratch yer ass and it will come twice as fast'

at this point we are all killing ourselves laughing.

but he was dead serious.

he really believed that because of his itchy hand that is why

we came.

kinda funny because we had gone back and forth about

whether to go to oakridge or to go to jonesville.

well for the sake of clyde (and his itchy hand!)

i am glad we went to jonesville!

what a character.

i don't have a photo of him unfortunately

but he is a sun-weathered, very wrinkled
thin little man who smoked cigarettes constantly!

quite the character.

we got a good tour of the mangroves and learned about how the pirates used
the pond in the mangroves to hide out from their enemies and find refuge during the storms.

on a hot day find the shade and water

after our tour i took them to punta gorda, the small fishing village where the garifuna tribe live.   i love going there.  the pace and the feel of the place seems other worldly... of times goneby before the pressure to succeed and climb the corporate ladder and amass large amounts of 'things' gripped our souls.   yes, the pace is slow and easy.   i like that.  i do.


we had lunch at a restaurant by the sea. fresh caught snapper.  um.. whole..  teeth barred which truthfully grossed us all out and i cropped off the head and through it over the fence to the stray dogs.
other then that, it was delicious and the breeze off the sea was delightful.    speaking of dogs there was a dog standing in the sea by the shore for about a half hour.  just standing there and i said to the girls that i thought he was tied up in the sea!!  but who and why would anyone do that??   i don't know but i do know that after i threw my fish over the fence he looked but didn't come over to investigate.  sure enough after about 45 min. a young man came over and untied him and then walked casually away. i guess it was his 'bath time'.







poor doggie!

all in all we had a fantastic day together exploring the east side of the island, meeting interesting 'characters', swimming with wild creatures, eating scary looking fish and enjoying beauty that most just dream about.


if you want to see some more photos you can go click here and it will take you to my facebook album.